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Royals stay loose, in search of wins

Royals stay loose, in search of wins

CLEVELAND -- Almost the entire Royals team huddled in front of the TV in the visitors' clubhouse at Progressive Field prior to Tuesday's series opener against the Indians.

Pitcher Luis Mendoza was handling the video game controls for the Royals in a tilt against the Blue Jays, and his teammates were glued to the action as if it were an actual contest.

"Why are we playing Toronto?" one player asked.

"We have to get them back somehow," another player responded, suggesting virtual revenge for the four-game sweep the Blue Jays completed over Kansas City on Monday.

Such is life for the Royals, mired in an 11-game losing streak, the last 10 coming at Kauffman Stadium. But as the club embarks on a nine-game road trip, it remains relaxed and loose as ever.

"It's good to see them relaxing and enjoying themselves," manager Ned Yost said. "It's a good sign."

The Royals refuse to dwell on their losing streak, which is why something so simple as a video game provided laughs and cheers. It did, however, also bring about some mock anger.

When Mendoza pinch-hit for Jeff Francoeur, the right fielder jokingly threw a fit and slammed a bin on the ground in frustration. Mitch Maier, who Mendoza used instead, flew out, so Francoeur got the last laugh.

"Our kids, they need that right now," Yost said. "They need to relax and enjoy each other. When they step on that field, they're all playing extremely hard and they're all trying to break out of this slump."

Infielder Chris Getz watched from his locker, smiling at the amusement his teammates found from the video game.

"If we get caught up in how many games we've lost," Getz said, "it would constantly just suck all of the energy out of us."